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Create and Attach a Cloud Block Storage Volume

Article ID: 3134

Last updated on January 23, 2015

Authored by: David Hendler

In Cloud Block Storage, we work with volumes. Volumes are the detachable block storage devices that expand the storage capacity of your server. You can think of them like USB memory sticks. Like a USB memory stick, volumes may only be attached to one server at a time, and they retain your data, even without being attached to a server.

There are two types of volumes: Standard Performance SATA drive storage and High Performance solid state drive (or SSD) storage. Each type is charged by the GB of storage you provision, so create volumes of the size you need. Volumes can be anywhere from 100 GB to 1000 GB, and you can always create larger volumes later.

Create the Volume

Confirm the name and region of the Server you will attach the Volume to. Volumes can only be attached to Servers in the same region.

Click Servers in the main navigation.

Click Block Storage in the Servers sub-navigation.

Click the Create Volume button.

Give your Volume a name.

Select the Region. Volumes can only be attached to Servers in the same region.

Select a Volume Type:

Standard - This is a standard SATA drive for users who need additional storage on their Cloud Server.

High Performance - This is an SSD drive, which offers a higher performance option for databases and high performance applications. NOTE: Performance gains from SSD are in some cases limited by network speed. At this time we recommend that SSD-based Cloud Block Storage volumes be created in our IAD datacenter for best performance.

Select the size of the Volume, from 100 GB to 1000 GB (1 TB).Volume maximums:

1000 GB (1 TB) / Volume

14 Volumes / Server

50 Volumes / region OR 10 TB / region (whichever is first)

Click the Create Volume button.

The larger your Volume, the longer it may take to create.

When your Volume is created, a green Available icon displays under Status on the Volume details page, and the status bar turns green in the Block Storage Volumes list.

View Volume Details

The Volume Details screen displays basic information about the Volume. Here you can see the Volume's Status, what Server it may be attached to, its size, region, and type. Additionally, if your Volume is attached to a Linux Server, you can see its path.

The Volume Details screen displays by default once you create the Volume.

You may also see a Volume's details by clicking its name in the Block Storage Volumes list. (Click Servers in the main navigation, then Block Storage in the sub-navigation.)

Status: This section displays the status of your Volume. Possible statuses are

<path> -- If your Volume is attached to a Linux Server, its path (/dev/XXXX) displays here.

A brief word on <path>:

The file path /dev/XXXX is what is known as a device file, or special file. It appears as an ordinary system file, but it serves as an interface for a device driver. It allows the operating system to read and write data with attached devices, such as storage volumes. Your Cloud Block Storage volumes appear as available devices once you have attached them to your cloud server.

ID: This is the ID of the Volume

Size: The size of the Volume

Region: Where the Volume is located

Type: The type of Volume, either Standard (a SATA drive) or High Performance (an SSD drive)

Snapshots: This section displays how many snapshots you have of the Volume. There is also a link which allows you to Create a Snapshot. Snapshots are described later in this Getting Started Guide.

Attach the Volume to a Server

When the Volume is created, it exists by itself and cannot have any data written to it. The Volume must be attached to a Server before anything else can be done with it. The process for attaching a Volume is the same for all Servers. After you attach the Volume, you must partition, format, and mount it, which we cover on the next page.

If you'd like to know more about the differences between attaching and mounting a Volume, read the article on Attaching vs. Mounting.

You may only attach a Volume to a Server in the same region.

Display the Select a Server window by one of two methods:

From the Volume Details screen, click Attach Volume link

From the Block Storage Volumes screen, click a Volume's Manage button (the cog at the left) and select Attach Volume
The Select a Server menu only displays Servers in the same region as the Cloud Block Storage Volume.

Click the dot next to a Server name to select it.

Click the Attach Volume button.

It may take a few minutes to attach your Volume to your Server. While the Cloud Block Storage Volume is attaching, its status bar will be yellow in the Block Storage Volumes list. When it is done attaching, its status bar will turn green and the name of the Server it is attached to displays under the heading Attached to.

The first time your Volume is attached to a server you will need to partition, format, and mount it, which we cover on the next page, Prepare Your Volume.